Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Introduction:

“It
has been said that life has treated me harshly; and sometimes I have complained
in my heart because many pleasures of human experience have been withheld from
me…if much has been denied me, much, very much, has been given me…”

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke gives the following
definition for dyslexia:

"Dyslexia is a brain-based type of learning
disability that specifically impairs a person's ability to read. These
individuals typically read at levels significantly lower than expected despite
having normal intelligence. Although the disorder varies from person to person,
common characteristics among people with dyslexia are difficulty with spelling,
phonological processing (the manipulation of sounds), and/or rapid
visual-verbal responding. In adults, dyslexia usually occur after a brain
injury or in the context of dementia. It can also be inherited in some families
and recent studies have identified a number of genes that may predispose an
individual to developing dyslexia."

The National Center for Learning Disabilities defines it as:

“As with other learning disabilities, dyslexia is a lifelong
challenge that people are born with. This language processing disorder can
hinder reading, writing, spelling, and sometimes even speaking. Dyslexia is not
a sign of poor intelligence or laziness. It is also not the result of impaired
vision. Children and adults with dyslexia simply have a neurological disorder
that causes their brains to process and interpret information differently.”

My grandmother, Dena Ortega Pigott, often told the story about my birth and being young and naiveté, I didn’t pay attention; however, as I have gotten older I realized that this event might have been a significant catalyst in my learning disability.

Understand, I am not a doctor and what I have to say is strictly based on personal experience and opinion. The story my grandmother told was that my mother had struggled giving birth to me and that it had become at some point, perilous, they would have to operate or try to pull me out by forceps (i.e. I guess forceps were still allowed at that time). She said they succeeded at the end and pull me out but that I was completely BLACK (no oxygen) with HUGH knots on my head. She said she prayed to God and soon my color came back, the knots well they went away in time.

The after affect; however has lasted a lifetime. You see, I have dyslexia and I truly believe this event had a profound effect on my ability to read, write and learn.

For the most part, my mother taught all of us (brothers and sisters) via the Calvert School System. I never interface with other children in a school setting until, the first time I came to live with my grandmother. The first time, I was around six (I was sent back when I was twelve) and had been very sick with rheumatic fever and came to the US to get medical attention.

Anyway, my grandmother tried to enroll me into some Public elementary school and they had to test me, of course and see what grade level I was in. Well, I will never forget, the lady tells my grandmother that I was retarded, in front of me. My grandmother enrolled me in to a private school called St. Rita’s, where I was accepted at the grade my mother said I was in.

Dyslexia Humor

From that moment on, I saw life in a very different way and yes, I struggled with everything but by no means let it stop me. Because, I was NEVER going to let someone change who I was and what I could accomplish. At the end of the day, I have to read something ten times to truly get the meaning. Writing is much harder because I miss words and don’t see others. Numbers, I can do. I still have to check my work over and over but this is where I rejoice. I know what to do to bridge that gap and technically I have overcome the barriers that bind me, if I can maintain patients that day.

So, yes dyslexia is like my arm, it is part of who I am, but I am sharper and happier because I don’t let it hold me back. By the way I am happiest in a creative, positive, supportive, and laid-back environment. I struggle to show up otherwise LOL.

Dyslexia Characteristics from a Personal Perspective:

I
consider myself highly intuitive and more than often “dead on” in judging
situations and/or personalities of others beforehand.

Able
to sense emotions and energy of others.

I
have passed on my disability to my children and I feel guilty about
it.

Easily
distracted/annoyed by noises and other things in the environment.

Artistic
and logical.

Misspeak,
misuse, or mispronounce words without realizing it.

May
confuse past conversations or be accused of “not listening.”

Difficulty
remembering names of people without tricks, but remembers faces.

Difficulty
remembering verbal instructions or directions. I use tricks and lists.

If
you are important to me, I have excellent recall of conversations or
sequence of events.

Reading,
Writing, Spelling, and Learning is Painful! This is why blogging and these
posts are so very special to me. I bled to compose them.

I
have adopted compensatory tricks to remember spelling and homonyms (their,
there, they’re), or misuses homonyms and I have a poor or
inconsistent/phonetic spelling.

Uncertainty
with words, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Reliance on
spell-check and grammar-check.

Relaxing
and is important.

Yes, I am going to add
some music because it is my world, my language, and my essence. I love every
genre and clearly this is an important song. My featured artist this evening
is Ben E. King with his mega hit titled "Stand
by Me". The video is brilliant!The song speaks to four of
the most important facets in my life love, friendship, loyalty, and
forgiveness.

I hope you enjoy this music as much as I do and have a blessed day or evening.

Followers

Followers

My Quote

T. S. Elliot wrote that “Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality. But, of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from these things”.